"I originally posted this item last year and received one, very useful reply. However, additional feedback would be very welcome."

I have developed a new closure that has massive potential in both the Carb and Non-carb markets.

The product is essentially a marketing tool designed to command instant on-shelf appeal, add value and tie nicely into the very popular collectable, promotional and games market.

I have already gained local government funding in the UK, which has assisted in the design and production of working prototypes, a professionally prepared patent application and the creation of promotional artwork.

I have spoken to media providers and bottle top manufacturers, who see the potential in the concept but cannot act without an end customer, i.e. a soft drinks company.

It is at this point where I seem to be hitting a brick wall in accessing the correct people within the large drinks companies. With this in mind, can anyone please assist me with contact details or suggest an alternative route to market such as appproaching National Grocery Stores or Marketing companies for example.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments on this subject.

Rgs

LEIGH

You say you've developed this closure. Have you acutually produced prototypes that work?

Once you have patent protection you can approach prospective users/buyers with some confidence that they won't rip off the concept. Of course, even with a patent, there may be alternate ways, even less expensive and better, to do what your closure does.

You've got a difficult problem to solve. Your closure is no good without a beverage. For you and your potential investors to produce the closures AND produce and market a new beverage will be quite expensive.

On the other hand, for a closure manufacturer or bottle manufacturer to liscense your closure once you get a patent is probably a long shot. They will have to spend many dollars to fully design and produce it so they can market it to their customers, the beverage companies.

Your best bet might be to first obtain your patent and make sure the patent covers the best ways to do what it's supposed to do. Then contact beverage companies, either new product development depts. or marketing, with the idea to give an exclusive to the one willing to pay a closure company to fully develop and produce the closure. A beverage company would have clout with a closure company.

Something else to throw in the mix is the bottling-line equipment that will be needed. It most certainly sounds like a new closure of this type would require some major line retooling.

Inko

Let's look at your problem again. Assuming you get a broad patent on your closure, you've got the following options in selling it. There may be others, but I can't think of them.

1. License or sell the patent to a closure or bottle manufacturer, who can develop and sell the closure to beverage companies.
2. License or sell the patent to a beverage company, who can have the closure produced by a closure manufacturer and use it exclusively on their own (the beverage maker's) products.
3. Fully develop and produce the closure yourself, and sell the closures to beverage companies. You could contract out production to a closure manufactruer.
4. Develop and launch your own beverage product that uses the closure.
5. Approach National Grocery Chains.

Number 4 would be extremely expensive and complicated, as you would have to invest in developing and marketing both a new beverage and a new closure. See Inko, and also the thread about cost of launching only a new beverage without an exclusive closure or bottle.

Good luck on number 5. How many retailers are willing to develop and produce a new product?

Number 3 would be expensive, but less complicated and expensive than 4.

Perhaps you should invest in a first class computer animated presentation and some market research, and go back to a couple of closure manufacturers and beverage companies. Show them some numbers that will convince their marketing departments, or President, to go with you.

Are there any more options?

[ 01-29-2005, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: DaveR ]